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Authors: Kristin Cashore
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the sand to the pond. “Mostly I just hold on to the raft.”
“So hang on to the raft. It’ll save me from having to watch you. I’ve got to work on my tan.”
“Tolook good for me?”
“If I have to look after you, I might as well look good for you.” The pond waters sent waves of cool air toward us.
“Keep an eye on me,” I said.
The waters of King’s Pond shivered up my bare legs. Peter’s scent—muskrat, hot rain, and tar—stayed with me when I waded deeper into the pond water. The sun on my arms was weaker; noon had passed. My skin adjusted to the shock of cold water. I sensed Peter’s strong strokes behind me and said, “I thought you couldn’t swim.”
“You really thought I would sink like a stone? When I’m built like this?” he made a muscle with one arm and placed my hand there.
“You lied.”
“I keep some things to myself.” He splashed water on me, and I laughed.
I squished the pond’s swampy silt beneath my feet.
“Let’s move,” he said. “Race you to the raft.”
“It’s ten feet out.”
“So? Hold tight to my shoulders.” He kicked water up furiously. “I won’t let you go.”
Peter’s wit, scent of water, smoke, and fury took me in. He dissolved me. We immersed ourselves in the water, and my flickering awareness that he had lied washed away. The realization that he said he couldn’t swim so he wouldn’t have to carry me faded in the pleasure of being surrounded by him. His hands reached for me as the water swirled. “If you think I get lost on land …” I gripped his hands tightly.
“Don’t talk.”
I felt him guide me to the raft several feet out from shore. “Come on.” He moved my hands till they gripped the ladder. “Up you go.” I willed myself up onto the warm wooden dock and Peter, sopping wet beside me, said, “Hear the birds?”
“We haveloons around here. They’re eerie.” I was relieved to have climbed out of the water.
“They’re crazy birds.” He unbuttoned the top button on my suit.
“Yes, crazy, crazy birds.”
Call me desperate, afraid that Annie and Mother would stop me from having him close by. But I not only let him unbutton the top button, I undid the next two myself. I had to be courageous—to take advantage of this moment before Annie came down to the water. I led Peter closer to me. I quickly took off the shoulder straps of my suit before he could guess my next move. That was my way to keep one step ahead of him, to keep him following me.
“Let me help you with that.” Peter eases my black, knee-length bathing suit away from my shoulders. He tugs the damp, rubbery straps. The sun turns me warm, breadlike.
I feel the sharp intake of his breath.
“You are a miracle.” He traces his fingers across my bare collarbone.
The water ripples under the rolling dock. I feel Peter staring at one thing only. Me.
That moment on the dock Peter did the strangest thing. He put my hands behind my back and held my wrists tight so I couldn’t resist. “Kiss me, Helen.”
I leaned into him.
I felt him touch my mouth with his fingers. Then he took my hands from behind my back and led my fingers to the warm center of his chest. I felt his heart beat beneath my fingertips.
“Kiss me there.” He dipped my head.
And I did.
The skin of his bare chest deliciously cold, his scent of scotch and night risky, outside the law.
“How was that?” I asked.
“A-plus.” He raisedme up slowly, his hands on my bare shoulders. “I love a girl who takes direction.”
“I’m nothing if not compliant,” I lied again. I wasn’t compliant at all. I had wanted him near me. He had been afraid. But now I knew by the steadiness in his hands that his resistance had slowly faded. His fear was gone.
Suddenly Peter untangled his arms from mine. “Come on, lady, let’s swim. Act like nothing’s up.” He slid me off the dock. “Annie’s coming through the woods.”
The sand felt suddenly slippery beneath my feet. I struggled to
“So hang on to the raft. It’ll save me from having to watch you. I’ve got to work on my tan.”
“Tolook good for me?”
“If I have to look after you, I might as well look good for you.” The pond waters sent waves of cool air toward us.
“Keep an eye on me,” I said.
The waters of King’s Pond shivered up my bare legs. Peter’s scent—muskrat, hot rain, and tar—stayed with me when I waded deeper into the pond water. The sun on my arms was weaker; noon had passed. My skin adjusted to the shock of cold water. I sensed Peter’s strong strokes behind me and said, “I thought you couldn’t swim.”
“You really thought I would sink like a stone? When I’m built like this?” he made a muscle with one arm and placed my hand there.
“You lied.”
“I keep some things to myself.” He splashed water on me, and I laughed.
I squished the pond’s swampy silt beneath my feet.
“Let’s move,” he said. “Race you to the raft.”
“It’s ten feet out.”
“So? Hold tight to my shoulders.” He kicked water up furiously. “I won’t let you go.”
Peter’s wit, scent of water, smoke, and fury took me in. He dissolved me. We immersed ourselves in the water, and my flickering awareness that he had lied washed away. The realization that he said he couldn’t swim so he wouldn’t have to carry me faded in the pleasure of being surrounded by him. His hands reached for me as the water swirled. “If you think I get lost on land …” I gripped his hands tightly.
“Don’t talk.”
I felt him guide me to the raft several feet out from shore. “Come on.” He moved my hands till they gripped the ladder. “Up you go.” I willed myself up onto the warm wooden dock and Peter, sopping wet beside me, said, “Hear the birds?”
“We haveloons around here. They’re eerie.” I was relieved to have climbed out of the water.
“They’re crazy birds.” He unbuttoned the top button on my suit.
“Yes, crazy, crazy birds.”
Call me desperate, afraid that Annie and Mother would stop me from having him close by. But I not only let him unbutton the top button, I undid the next two myself. I had to be courageous—to take advantage of this moment before Annie came down to the water. I led Peter closer to me. I quickly took off the shoulder straps of my suit before he could guess my next move. That was my way to keep one step ahead of him, to keep him following me.
“Let me help you with that.” Peter eases my black, knee-length bathing suit away from my shoulders. He tugs the damp, rubbery straps. The sun turns me warm, breadlike.
I feel the sharp intake of his breath.
“You are a miracle.” He traces his fingers across my bare collarbone.
The water ripples under the rolling dock. I feel Peter staring at one thing only. Me.
That moment on the dock Peter did the strangest thing. He put my hands behind my back and held my wrists tight so I couldn’t resist. “Kiss me, Helen.”
I leaned into him.
I felt him touch my mouth with his fingers. Then he took my hands from behind my back and led my fingers to the warm center of his chest. I felt his heart beat beneath my fingertips.
“Kiss me there.” He dipped my head.
And I did.
The skin of his bare chest deliciously cold, his scent of scotch and night risky, outside the law.
“How was that?” I asked.
“A-plus.” He raisedme up slowly, his hands on my bare shoulders. “I love a girl who takes direction.”
“I’m nothing if not compliant,” I lied again. I wasn’t compliant at all. I had wanted him near me. He had been afraid. But now I knew by the steadiness in his hands that his resistance had slowly faded. His fear was gone.
Suddenly Peter untangled his arms from mine. “Come on, lady, let’s swim. Act like nothing’s up.” He slid me off the dock. “Annie’s coming through the woods.”
The sand felt suddenly slippery beneath my feet. I struggled to
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